Container-closing machine



Feb. 14, 1928.

D. M. BOOTHMAN CONTAINER CLOSING MACHINE Filed Feb.2'7. 1924 10 Sheets-Sheet l l 46 XXII INVENTOR m 71. Z, all Feb. 14, 1928, 1,659,546

D. M. BOOTHMAN CONTAINER CLOSING MACHINE Filed Feb.27. 1924 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 14, 1928.

l0 shq gts-sheet 3 Filed Feb. 27, 1924 FIB-El.

' Feb. 14, 1928.

I 1,659,546 D. M. BOOTHMAN CONTAINER CLOSING MACHINE Filed Feb.27, 1924 10 sheets-Sheet 4 ZMI M m v M. m W4 w m ww N m M M m m m m M d m Mm i R w QmE 1 8 9 ,7 E M E P E 3 N M Q -b m:| 3 rm -5. m 0

Feb. 14, 1928. 1,659,546"

D. M. .BOOTHMAN CONTAINER CLOsING MACHINE Filed Feb.27, '1924 10 Shuts-Sheet 6 FIGJZ.

| l rimh 2 iiiil-umu Wmmmm a v INVENTOR, WITNESSES m z D. M. BOOTHMAN CONTAINER CLOSING MACHINE Feb. 14, 1928 Filed Feb.2'7, 1924 10 Sheets-Sheet 7 FIELIE.

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Feb. '14, 1928. 1,659,546

D. M. BOOTHMAN CONTAINER CLOSING-MACHINE Filed Feb.27. 1924 l0 Sheets-Sheet 8 FII3-ZD.

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D. M. BOOTHMAN CONTAINER CLOSiNG MACHINE Filed Feb.27. 1924 10 Shets-Sheet 10 MWLW 4W W/T/VEJSES 1--.a14.19z8; p umTEo sTATES nun 1.30am, or "omon'r, rnimsxnvama'nssmnon 'ro .anunmm SEAL COMPANY,' .OI rmsnunen, PENNSYLVANIA, a cameraman or rnnnsnvam closingthe mouths of containers such as are PATENT. OFFICE.

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Application m February 21, i924. Serial no. 885,598,

Injmy pending fpatent a plication Serial No. 593,791,'there is disc osed a seal for used for packing food and like products. The seal comprises i a flexible gasket arranged in an annular, preferably wedgeshaped, space between the container and a depending skirt or flange of a cap, and a flexiblemember arranged in the. same annular space below the gasket and pressing upwardly upon it to hold it firmly in sealing position, and pressing *outwardly upon the cap skirt to retain the cap upon the container.

The application discloses :two forms of gaskets for making the seal, one a continuous ring and the other a str1p or string-like member. The retainin member may be a continuation of a string-like gasket, but is'preferabl a flexible wire which may be formed of a uminum. In the preferred embodiment of the invention'in said application a retaining member of wire has its in- 'ner end overlapped above the outer end of a string-like gasket, and its outer end protruding below the cap. skirt; To break the seal, the retaining wire is first removed by engaging its protruding end and pulling it downwardly, which results in removing the retaining wire and in exposing the outer-end of the gasket below the skirt. The exposed end of the gasketis then engaged and the gasket; removed, which results in a complete breaking of the seal, leaving the cap in good condition-for use as a closure for the container-until its contents are removed.

In addition to the convenient manner in which the seal may be broken, it is a further characteristic of the seal that the skirt of the .cap is slightly expanded outwardly by the retaining member, and, by reason of its resiliency, the thus expanded skirt continuouslypresses inwardly upon the wire to hold the cap upon the container and press the gasket in sealing "position.

The general object of this invention is to i provide a machine for forming closure seals of the type and character disclosed in and I "contemplated by. my said pending patent application. v A specific object is 'to provide a machine for wedginga sealing gasket, preferably in the form of a strip, between a container and the-skirt of a cap after the cap has been applied to the container.

A A' further specific object is to provide a tainer and the skirt of ing gasket. 1

A' further specific object is to provide mechanism for cutting and deliverin to closure forming apparatus, and in coor inaa cap back of a-sealmachine for wedging wire between a contion with its operation, strips of material of the cap supplied to them, and for deliverlng proper lengths of sealing strips and retaining wires to the closure forming mechanism.

Other specific objects will appear fromthe following description of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings of which Fig. 1 is a plan view of the machine; Fig. 2 a vertical sectional view thereof, the plane of view being indicated b the line IIII, Fig. 1; Fig. 3

a horizonta sectional view to enlarged scale taken on the line III-III, Fig. 2, the caphopper shown in Fig. 1 being omitted; Fi 4 a vertical sectional view taken on the bro en .lineIV-IV, Fig. 3, showing a train of mech- .a vertical sectional view, taken on he bro en line VIIVII, Fig. 3, showing further details of-construction of the shear andmechanism for operating it;'Fig. 8 a vertical sectional view taken on theli'n'e VIII--VIII,

Fig. 3, showin strip and wire feedin rolls; -Fig. 9 a sectional view taken on t e line IX-JX, Fig. 3, showing mechanism for y controlling the position of a strip feeding tube; Fig. 10a vertical sectional view taken on the line XX Fig. 9; Fig. 11 a vertical sectional view taken on the line XI-XI,

Fig. 3, sliowin connections for controllin the position 0 a crimper; Fig. 12a vertical sectional view taken on the line XII-XII, Fig. 1, showing cap feeding mechanism and a support for. a container and cap; Fig. 13 an elevation of the upper left hand portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 12; Fig. 14; a horizontal sectional view takenon the line XIV XIV, Fig. 13; Figs. 15, 16, 17 and 1 8 horizontal sectional views td enlarged scale taken on the lines XVXV, XVI, XVII, and XVIII, Fig. 2, showing several cams attached'to an operating shaft in substantially their proper relative positions; Fig. 19 a schematic view showing the initial stage of a sealing operation; Fig. 20 a similar view showing a subsequent stage of the sealing operation; Fig. 21 a similar view showing the final stage of the sealing operation; Fig. 22 an elevation of a container with the'seal applied to it; Fig. 23 a vertical sectional view of a cap hopper and mechanism for serially dischar ng caps from it; Fig. 24 a detail view ta en on the line XXIVXXIV, Fig.

23, Fig. 25 a sectional view taken on the line XXV-XXV, Fig. 24; Fig. 26 a face View of the lower end of .the cap hopper showing one of the relative positions of mechanism for serially discharging caps from the hopper; and Figs. 27 and'28 views corresponding to Fig. 26 showing succeeding relative positionsof the mechanism for discharging caps from the hopper.

According to this invention provision is made for wedging a flexible sealing gasket,

which may be a ring or a strip, between a container and a cap after the cap has been applied to the mouth of the container. This is preferably effected progressively by causing relative rotation between a wedging member or tucker and a container having a cap a plied to it, the rotation being on or aroun the common axis of the container and cap. While either the container or tucker may be rotated, the tucker is preferably held stationary and the container and cap caused to revolve.- When the sealing gasket is in the form of a-strip, provision is made for feeding strips of required lengths to seal-forminggposition, the strips being fed one after another, that is to say,

I serially, in coordination with the seal forming mechanism. 7

As an adjunct to the strip-feeding mech anism, means are also preferably provided for shearing strips of required uniform lengths from a continuous length or strand thereof. When it is desired to form seals of the preferred type shown in my -said patent application, that is to say seals each formed of and by a strip of flexible sealing material and adjacent to it a cap retaining wire, the machine may, and preferably does, include means for alternately shearing from continuous strands required len ths of sealing strips and wires and means or delivering the shearedlengths alternately andsuccesslvely to seal-forming position, all in be imparted toshaft 9 by means of a countershaft 15 provided at one end with a bevelled coordination nism. 7

To render the machine completely automatic it may be provided with mechanism with the seal-forming 'mechacoordinated withthe sealing means for seliver them alternately and successively to seal-forming position, and 'to feed caps'upon containers. It may conveniently be considered as including four units, a support for holding a container and'cap placed on it, A mechanism for forming a seal, mechanism for delivering closure-forming strips in po sition to be wedged between each container and cap, and mechanism for serially delivering caps to containers on the support. In; the further description of the invention the se. several. units and parts associated with them will be explained in the order stated, after first describing the general organization of the illustrated machine. I

Referring to. the drawings, and particularly to Fig. 2, the entire machine may be supported by a housing 1, which is preferably of cylindrical form. Within the housing, and fpzrotected by it, there is an operating sha 2 which carries various cams and driving elements presently to be explained, and to which rotation may be imparted in any desiredmanner. As shown, the lower, end of shaft 2 is provided with. a bevelled pinion 3 meshing with a bevelled pinion 4 secured to a driven shaft 5 adapted to be connected to a driving shaft 6 through a suitable clutch 7 which may be operated by a treadle 8.

Uontaz'ner This unit preferably includes two rotat-. able and longitudinally movable shafts 9 and .10, the shaft 9 being supported by brackets 11 and 12, arid shaft 10 by brackets 13 and 14, all secured to housing 1. "Rotation may pinion 16 meshing with a bevelled pinion 17 attached to operating shaft 2, and provided at its otherend with a bevelled plnion 18 meshing with a bevelled pinion 19 feathered on'shaft 9. In a similar manner rotation may be imparted to shaft 10 by a countershaft 20 connected to operating shaft 2 and shaft 10 by bevelled pinions the same as those just explained with reference to shaft 9. I As seen in Figs. 2 and 12, the upperend 1130 of shaft 9 is provided with a container. supbevelled pinion 19 to which it is feathered.

As a protection for spring 22, container supporting plate 21 may be provided with a depending sleeve 25 enclosing .the spring.

The lower end of shaft 10 is' rovided with means for receiving a cap an momentarily holding it above a container, after which this shaft is moved downwardly to position the cap upon a container and to simultaneously grip the inner end of a sealing strip between the cap and containerf For receiving and positionin a cap above a con tainer, the lower end 0 shaft 10 is prefer ably provided with a collar 26 held'against rotation with the shaft by means of a pin 27 (Fig. 2) extending through the collar and through a lug 28 formed on the outer end of bracket 13. As seen in Figs. 12, 13 and 14, collar 26 may have a series of levers 29 pivotally attached to it as at 30, the upper ends of the fingers being urged outwardly by means of springs 31, and their lower ends being provided with cap-engaging fingers 32 which may be curved to conform to the .periphery of a cap flange or skirt. In the illustrative embodiment of the invention collar 26 is provided with three cap-engaging levers 29 arranged atintervals of 90, thus leaving an open side for laterally moving a cap into position to be engaged by fingers 32.- In Fig. 12 a container 33 is shown resting upon plate 21 anda cap 34 as being engagedby fingers 32 and held in a position above the container.; This figure also shows some of the mechanism for serially delivering caps to the support, which mechanism.

will presently be explained.

I The upper end of shaft 10 maybe provided with an inverted cup-shaped cap 35 (Fig. 2), between which and a bushing 36 carried by bracket 14 there. is arranged a spring 37 which yieldingly urges shaft 10 upwardly. For moving shaft 10 downwardly against the resistance of spring 37, a bell-crank lever 38, 39 may be pivotally mounted on the upper end of housing 1, with arm 38 resting upon the upper end of-shaft 10 and arm 39 upon the periphery of a cam 40 attached to the upper end of shaft 2. As shown in Fig. l cam 40 has three peripheral are-shaped sections, a section 41 of smallest radius permitting shaft 10 to rise to its highest position under the pressure of spring as 37, a section 42 of largest radius which c ausesthe shaft to move to its lowermost position, and a short section 43 of a radius between those of sections 41 and 42 for causing this shaft to occupy an intermediate position during the last period of a sealing operation for properly-positioning a sealed container to crimp inwardly the lower edge of the cap in a manner presently to be explained. To the lower end of shaft 10 a cap-receiving plate 44 is attached for rotation and longitudinal movements with the shaft.

Seal forming mohanisflv.

container is, in'the illustrative embodiment of the invention, effected by a tucker which progressively wedges a seahng strip between the container and the skirt of a cap applied to it while the container and cap are caused to' revolve on their common a'xis. While the tucker may be variously constructed, it pref- ,erably consists of one or more idle rollers mounted on-a block 45 (Fig. 12) supported by a bracket or shelf 46 attached to housing 1. Preferably two rollers 47 and 48 are used (Figs. 4 and 19), roller 47 for tucking a strf p 49 of sealing gasket between the container and cap skirt, and roller 48 for tucking a wire 50 between the container and cap skirt below the sealing strip. Roller, 48 additionally acts to hold the cap skirt away from the tinuous length of sealing strip is used both for the purpose of effecting a seal and retainlng a cap upon a container.

47, 48 and the rotation and longitudinal movement of shafts 9 and 10 will now be explained, omitting for the present reference to the strip shearing and delivering mechanism, it beingsufiicient to note that sealing strips 49 may be delivered to tucker roll 47 throu h a tube 51, and cap-retainingwires 50 (F1g. 20) to tucker roll 48 through a tube 52. Operating shaft'2 is normally rotated continuously in a right hand direction as in- The manner of making the seal by tucker I dicated by an arrow 53 (Fig. 1) placed on cam 40, and during each complete revolution of this shaft 9. container is sealed. With the container supporting shafts 9 and 10 in the positions shown in Figs. 2 and 12 a container 33 is placed upon its supporting plate 21 at the upper end of shaft 9. The cont iners may beso positioned serially by hand, or suitable conveying mechanism, of which various forms are well known to those skilled in the art, may be used for this purpose. Closure caps 34 may also be placed in engagement with fingers 32 at the ends of levers 29 either hand or by cap delivering mechanism presently to be explained.

, cap.

With a container placed on plate 21 and a cap engaged by fingers 32, the firststep in the operation is a downward movement of shaft to position the cap upon the container and to press shafts 9 and 10 and their supported cap and container downwardly so that the upper edges of tucker rolls 47 and 48 lie inside and above the'lower'edge of the This downward movement of shaft 10 is. efiect'ed by the off-set in cam 40 between its sections 41 and 42, and at the time this is being effected the leading end of a sealing strip 49 is delivered to aposition slightly beyond tucker roll 47 so that the downward movement of the closure cap causes the end of the sealing strip to be engaged by and between the container and cap skirt. The continued rotation of shafts 9 and 10 causes tucker roll 47 to pro ressively wedge the sealing strip between t e container and cap skirt as indicated in Fig. 19. I

Before the tail end of strip 49 reaches tucker roll 47 the leading end of a wire 50 (Fig. 20) is delivered through tube 52 above tucker roll 48 so that such end lies above the tail end of a v strip 49. The further continued rotation of shafts 9 and 10 causes tucker rolls 47 and 48 to firmly wedge wire 50 below the sealing strip, and such positioning :of the wire simultaneously causes the previously positioned strip 49 to be pressed upwardly tothe position shown in Figs 20 and 21. In other words, the sealing strip 49 is preferably not initially pressed by "tucker roll 47 to its final sealing position but is wedged into such position by the wire when it is introduced and wedged between the container and cap skirt. As the tail end of wire 50 approaches tucker roll 48, shafts 9 and 10 are permitted to rise sufficiently to cause the upper edgesof the tucker j rolls to lie below the lower edge of the cap skirt so that ,theftail end of the wire may protrude below the skirt. This movement of the shafts is effected by springs- 22 and 37 when the off-set between sections 42 and 43 of cam 40 reaches arm 39-of bell-crank lever 38, 39. Both before the shafts rise, and

while they are heldin this intermediate po-- sition by cam section 43, a crimping roller 54 (Fig. 21), the construction and complete operation of which will presently be egrplained, engages the lower edge of the cap skirt to bend it inwardly as the container support continues to revolve. After the crimping operation is completed, arm 39 of the bell-crank lever moves inwardly upon section 41 of cam 40 to permit shaft 10 to rise to its uppermost position so that the sealed container may be removed, it being understood that-upward movement of shaft 9 is at this time prevented by collar 55 abutting against the lower end of bushing 24.

positlon,

The appearance of the sealed container is shown in Fig. 22.

Reference has been made tocrimper roller 54 for bending inwardly the lower edge of a cap skirt at the end of a sealing operation.

'This roller is mounted on a spindle 185, on

movement ofcam 56, and provided at its outer end with a finger 60 (Figs. 3 and 11) which engages an end of a link 61, the other end of which link is connected by means of a lever 62 and link 63 to pivoted arm 57 on which crimping roller 54. is mounted. A

spring 64, which may be coiled around rod 58, acts between this rod and bracket 46 to normally throw finger 60 to the left as Viewed in Fig. 11, and in consequence thereof to hold crimping roller 54 in inoperative that is to say outwardly of a container cap. Rod 58 is rotatedby. the engagement of arm 59 with cam 56 to cause finger 60 to move to the right to bring the crimping roller into engagement with a cap and to hold it there during the crimping operation. Cam 56 is preferably so constructed and positioned on shaft 2 that after the leading end of wire 50 has been wedged between a container and cap, and while shafts 9 and 10 are in their lowermost position, roller 54 is moved inwardly so that its lower flange bears tions of shafts 9- and 10, and not only turn thecap skirt inwardly, but also presses the outer protruding end of wire 50 against the container,

Strip shearing and delivering As shown in FigsQ3, 4 and 5, this unit preferably comprises a shear 65, 66 for cutting lengths of sealing strips and wires fromcontinuous strands of them, cooperating rolls 67, 68 and 69 for delivering continuous l'engths of sealing strip and wire to the shears, a pair of rolls 70 and 71 for feeding the sheared lengths of sealing strip and wire to seal-forming position, a' series of tubes through which the sealing strips and wires pass, and driving connections for controllingand operating these elements.

Continuous lengths of a sealing strip 49 and a wire 50, from reels or any othersuitable source of supply, pass through tubes 72 and 73, respectively, to delivering rolls 67, 68 and 69, tube 72 being arranged to feed sealing strip 49 between rolls 67 and 69, and tube 73 to feed wire 50 between rolls 68 and 69. Roll 69 is preferably continuously driven and is rovi'ded on its lower and up per edges wit teeth 74 and 75 which continuously mesh with teeth 76 and 77 formed onrolls 67 and 68, respectively. The driving of roll 69 may be effected by a train of gears extending from container-supporting shaft 9. In the illustrative embodiment of the invention container supporting plate 21 is provided with peripheral teeth 78 (Fig.

.3) which mesh with a pinion 79 rotatably mounted on the lower side of bracket 46.

From pinion 79- to roll 69 driving connections for the latter. are established through pinion 80, pinion 81 (Fig. 8) mounted on a shaft 82 to which feeding roll 71 is attached, pinion 83 also mounted on shaft 82, pinion 84 mounted on-a shaft 85 to which feeding roll 70 is attached, pinion 86, (Fig. 3) and pinion 87 (Fig. 5) mounted on a shaft 88 to which roll 69 is attached. That the sealing strip and wire may be delivered to seal-forming position at the proper rate of speed for making a seal, the feeding and delivering rolls and their driving'cognections are so constructed, proportioned and coordinated I that thesurface velocity of the rolls is equal ofa cam 99 (Figs; 5 and 17) attached to ing stri to the velocity of the center line of the sealand wire while they are being wound a out the container.

That the delivering rolls 67, 68 and 69 may deliver the continuous strands of sealing strip 49 and wire 50 through the shear at the required time to feed sheared lengths of them successively to seal-forming position, provision is made formoving rolls 67 and 68 to and from positions in which they an intermediate point by a flange 97 extending upwardly from and forming a part of bracket 46. The inner end of rod 96 is provided-with a finger 98 lying in the path operating shaft 2. Surrounding rod 96 there is a spring 100, one end of which en ages this rod and the other end bracket fiange 97 the arrangement being such that -this spring normally holds shaft 96 in such position that its inner finger holds bracket 92 inwardlyv and in consequence thereof holds roll 67 in cooperative relationship with roll 69. .Wh'en finger 98 is engaged by cam 99, arm 92 is rotated and carries roll 67 away. from roll 69 far enough to release the sealing member from driving or delivering engagement with the rolls, but not far enough to disengage gear 76 from gear 74.

In a similar manner the position of roll 68 with relation to roll 69 for delivering wire to the shears is, controlled by a rod 101 provided with a finger 102 engagin arm 93, a finger 103 adapted to be engage by a cam 104 (Figs. 5 and 15) attached to shaft 2, and a spring 105 acting between shaft 101 and bracket flange 97. The timing of the movemlents of rolls 67 and 68 will be generally explained in the description of the operation of the machine.

The construction. and operation of the wire and strip cutting shears will now be explained. Various forms of shears ma be used. They preferably comprise a s ear' block 66 (Figs. 3, 4, 6 and 7) and a shear blade 65 pivoted at 106 to the shear block. The shear block is provided with suitable openings through which the sealing strip and wire pass, and the shear blade with a round opening 107, through which the sealing strip passes, and with. an arc-shaped slot 108, through which the wire passes. The blade is normally held in position to cause both of its openings 107 and 108 to register with the corresponding openings of block 66.

For intermittently moving the blade to shear, first the sealing strip and then the wire, suitable shear operating connections extend between the shear blade and operating shaft 2. These connections preferably include a bar 109 provided with a pin 110 engaged by a. slot 111 formed in the lower edge of the shear blade. The inner end of bar. 109 is engaged by the outer end of an arm 112 connected to a shaft 113, which shaft extends through bracket 46 and is provided below the bracket with a bevelled pinion 114 meshing with a bevelled pinion 115 attached to shaft 116, which shaft is provided with a finger 117 adapted to be engaged by a cam 118 (Figs. 7 and 18) attached to shaft 2. A spring 119 (Fig.3) may be attached to arm 112 for holding it in the position indicated in this figure, in which position the openings in shear blade 65 register with those .in shear block 66. Whenthe leading edge of cam 118 engages finger 117, shaft 116 is turned to cause, through the connections just explained, shear blade 65 to swing sufficiently to cut the sealing strip ,then passing through shear blade opening l07. .Near the end of cam 118 its. lower face is provided with a thickened portion 120 which causes a further turning of shaft 116 to swing the shear blade sufliciently to cut the wire then passing through its arc-shaped opening 118.

Provision is preferably made for permit ting the shear to move with the strip and wire in the manner of a flying shear when they are being cut. To such end the base of shear block 66 may be attached to a pin 121 extending transversely of the lines of advance of the sealing strip and wire and r0- tatably mounted in a block 122 (Fig. 6) attached to bracket 46. The shear block is normally held in its indicated upright position by means of a suitable spring 123 which permits the block to move sufiiciently to effect flying cuts. As seen in Fig. 6, block 122 is provided with an opening 124 in which the outer end of bar 109 is slidably mounted. As previously indicated, feeding rolls 70 and 71 are mounted on shafts 85 and 82 (Fig. 8) respectively, and are rotated by the driving connections extending between'container supporting shaft 9" and delivering roll 69. These feeding rolls are therefore continuously rotated, but it will be understood that they feed sealing strips and wires to seal-forming position only when such strips and wires are delivered to them by the delivering rolls. Feeding rolls 70 and 71 may be held yieldingly towards each other to grip sealing strips and wires between them by means of a spring 125 engaging the upper ends of shafts 82 and 85 which are mounted for slight lateral move-.

ments in slotted openings formed in bracket 46.

It has been notedv that the sealing strip and wire are carried to delivering rolls 67, 68 and 69 through tubes 72 and 73, and that they are delivered from feeding rolls 70 and 71 to the tucker or wedging rolls 47 and 48 through tubes 51 and 52, respectively. Be-

- tween the delivering rolls and shear block 66 the sealing strip and wire pass through tubes 126 and 127 (Fig. 4) which may e attached to shear block 66, and between the shear and feeding rolls they may pass through tubes 128 and 129, which may be supported by a plate 130. \A

In forming a seal ithas been found to be advantageous to move seal strip feeding tube 51 downwardly just after the leading end of a sealing strip has been engaged by and between a container and cap.- In, Fig. 4, the position of this tube for delivering the leading end of asealing strip to tucker roll 47 is indicated in full lines, while in Figs. 19, 20 and 21 tube 51 is shown in full lines in its lowered position. For thus moving tube 51 it may be supported by an arm 131.

(Figs. 4, 9 and 10) pivoted as at 132 to a support attached to bracket 46, and arm 131 may be attached to the upper end of a rod 133 extending downwardly through bracket 46 and pivot-ally connectfl at its lower end to a lever 134 pivoted at 135 to hoiising 1 v and having its other end lying in thepath of a cam 136. attached to operating shaft 2.

Gap deli/owing mechanism.

This unit of the machine comprises'means for serially feeding caps to the cap engaging fingers 32 at the lower end of shaft 10 when this shaft is in its uppermost position. In the illustrative embodiment of this, caps are serially discharged from a hopper 137 (Figs. 1 and 23) by mechanism which will presently be explained into a downwardly inclined troughwhich terminates with an opening in its bottom above a horizontally movable plate 139 having a plate 145 attached to its outer end (Fig. 12). This plate receives the caps and may be reciprocated laterally for delivering them to fingers 32 by an arm .140, the upper end of which engages the plate in the manner shown in Fig. 12, and the lower end of which is attached to a. shaft 141 (Fig. 2) supported by housing 1, and to which there is also attached an arm 142, the end of which is yieldingly urged by a spring 143 into contact/with the periphery of a cam 144 attached to operating shaft 2.

In .the operation of the cap-delivering mechanism, assuming as a starting point that the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 12, with a cap 34 resting horizontally upon plate .139, and another cap 34 in trough 138 with its skirt resting upon cap 34", arm 140 is moved to the right until the left edge of plate 139 lies to the right of cap 34. The ensuing movement of arm 140 to the left carries cap 34, which then rests on plate 145, into engagement with fingers 32 and causes the lower edge of cap 34 to "move to the left so that such cap lies on plate 139. To prevent caps in the position of cap 34 from being thrown from plate 139 as it is moved to the left, a guide finger 146 may be attached to theopen side of trough 138 in the position indicated in Fig. 12. Movement of cap 34 to the right consequent upon the movement of plate 139 to the right is prevented by the lower edge of trough 138 which lies below the top of cap 34*. This cycle of operation of cap-feeding .plate 139, 145 is, as previously indicated, so

coordinated with the operation of the machine as a whole that a cap is delivered into engagement by fingers 32 each time shaft 10 is in its uppermost position.

Referring now to hopper 137 and the mechanism: for serially discharging caps they are usually packed for shipment. The

cap.

. rom engagement with t hopper is downwardly inclined so that the series of nested caps slide to its lower end as the caps are serially discharged. Rotatably mounted on a frame 150 (Fig. 23)

which supports the hopper at its lower end 1() there is a ring 151 on which. there is formed a bevelled pinion 152 which meshes with a bevelled pinion 154 attached at one end of a shaft 155, the'other end 015 which shaft is provided with bevelled pinion 156 which meshes with a bevelled pinion 157 attached to'ashaft 158. Rotation of shaft 158 is effected by a bevelled pinion 159 attached to operating shaft 2, whlch pinion meshes with a .bevelled pinion 160 attached to the shaft 158. Through this train of driving connections hopper ring 151 is continuously rotated during the operationof the machine.

Pivotally attached by pins 180 to the lower edge of hopper-supportln'g frame 150 there are a series of fin ers 161 (Figs. 26, 27 and 28), the inner en s of which may be yieldingly urged toward. the center of hopper 137 by'springs 162. These fingers'are positioned and arranged to bear upon the flange or skirt of the ca adjacent to that at the lower end of the hopper. Similarly, there are pivotally mounted on pins 166 at the lower edge of a flange 176 attached to" rotatable ring 151 a series of fingers 163, the inner ends of which are yieldingly urged toward the center of the hopper by means of springs 164. These fingers are so positioned and arranged thatthey may bear upon the flange of the lowermost cap in the hopper. The outer ends of fingers 161 are provided with lugs 165 which lie in the path of rotation of the pins 166 on which fingers 163 are pivotally mounted, so that, as ring 151 rotates, these lugs are intermittently eugaged. Through such engagement and the rotation of ring 151 the inner. ends of finers 161 are intermittentl moved outwardly iie second cap. I In a similar manner the outer ends of fingers- 163are provided with lugs 167 which, dur-v ing the rotation of ring 151, are intermittently engaged by pro ections 168 formed on a circular flange 169 which is a part of hopper supporting frame 150. This engagement of lugs 167 b projections 168 causes the inner ends of ngers 163 to move outwardly from engagement with the lowermost At the 'lower end of the hopper there is a plate 170 mounted for intermittent movements longitudinall of the hopper axis for alternately supporting the series of caps in the hopper and rmitting the end cap to fall into a chute 1 1 through which it is conducted to the uper end of trough 138. Plate 170- may be attached to one end of an arm 7 1 172, the other end of which is attached to a bar 173 mounted .for longitudinal sliding movement in frame 150 andnormally urged upwardly by means of a spring 174., In the upward position. of bar 173, plate 170 is held at-the discharge end of the hopper to support the series or column of caps. To intermittently move bar 173 downwardly it may have attached to its. lug 175, the lower end of which engages flange 17 6. The lower face of this flange is bevelled at the required positions in the manner" indicated in Figs; 24 and 25- to cause lug 175 and rod 173 to move downwardly.

The operation ofthe mechanism for serially discharging ca s from the hopper may' be understood by re erence to Figs. 26, 27'and 28 which show the two seriesef fingers 161' and 163 in successive relative positions. In the positions shown in Fig." 26 fingers 163 engage the skirt of the lowest cap and fingers 161 the skirt of th'e'adjac'ent-or second.

cap. The rotation of'ring 151 in the direction indicated by arrow 177 causes fingers 163, which are carried with this ring, to 3 turn or twist the lowest cap from its en gagement with the next 'capwhich is held, or tends to be held, against rotation by non-, rotatable fingers 161 then bearing upon its skirt. In this position of the two series of fingers plate 170 may be in its lower position afl'ordin free passage fora cap to fall into chute 1 1, the column of caps being then supported bfylthe two series of fin ers, the lugs 167 of gers 163 are engage by projections 168 and the inner ends of ,these fingers thereby moved outwardly and re- 1 leased from their engagement, with the 'lowest'cap, which cap may then' fall into chute. 171. This position of fingers 163 is i shown in Fig. 27, which also shows fingers 161 as being still in. engagement with ,the second cap. By such engagement at this time, fingers 161 continue to support the column of caps. vIn the next step in the operation'fingers 161 are released from their engagement with a cap to permit the entire series of caps to move downwardly, and at this time late170 is in itsinner osition stopthe owrrward movement o the caps.

Thethrowing outwardl I of the inner ends of fingers 161 is efiecte by the engagement I of hot gins 166 with lug's 165 at the outer en 9 of is 161. This position of the two series o fingers'is shown in Fig. 28;

v The cycle of operation'of the cap discharging mechanism just explained is, in the illustrative embodiment of? the invention, re-

peated four timesffor each revolution of ring 151, and ineach cycle the mechanism is brought to the necessary successivepositions for releasing the lowest cap from the series thereof and discharging it into trough.

171; Sometimes caps are so firmly wedged I Figs.'2 and 12, the first step in the operation .-By I togetherthat it requires several efforts of therefore to ex lain the coordinatedo era-- tion 'of the ma ine as a whole in ma ing seals of the specific character for which the -,in achine shown herein is constructed. One sealing .-operation is effected during each fingers 163 to twist it loose. Accordingly, it

ispreferred to so time the operation of the cap-discharging mechanism that provision is made for the operation of the remainder of the machine. In case a cap is released each time fingers 163 engage and act upon one,

and as a consequence thereof trough 138' and chute 171 are filled with caps, a released cap merely remains in the hopper until there is room for it to fall in chute 171.

It will be understood that the hopper and cap-discharging mechanism may, as far as concerns some features of the invention, be

dispensed with and the caps manually fed to chute 138. Furthermore, other cap-discharging mechanism may be used in place of that disclosed, or that disclosed may be used on other types of closure-formingv machines than that contemplated by this application.

3 Operation) v v The operation. of each of the several units of the achine has beenexplained in connection with its description. It remains revolution of operating shaft 2. In Figs. 15, 16, 17 and, 18 there are illustrated in substantially their proper relative positions sevi eral' of the cams attached to the operating shaft for moving or controlling various elements of a machine. These are cam 99 17) for controlling the position of-roll 67 for delivering the sealing strip to the shear, cam 104 (Fig. 15) for controllmg, the position of rolll68 for delivering the wire to the shear,

cam 118 (Fig. 18) for moving the shearblade-65, and cam 56 (Fig. 16)-for moving crimping roll 54. g

Assuming the container supporting shafts 9 and 10 to be in the positions indicated in is the deliveryof a cap 34 to ca engaging fingers 32 at the lower end. of'sha t-10. This is effected by the inward movement of capsupporting'plate 139, 145, which is effected by cam 144 acting through arm 142, shaft 141 and-arm 140.- After the cap-sup ortin member has moved outwardly from eneat a cap supported by fingers 32, shaft 10 is 38,39 and cam 40, and, coordinated with this, a sealing strip is delivered by delivermoved downwardly through bell-crank lever Hing rolls-67 and 69 and feeding rolls 7 O and 71 so that the inner or leading end of the.

strip. may be engaged between the cap and container as ,the cap moves downwardly upon" the container. The downward movement of shaft 10' also causes a downward movement of shaft 9 so that the upper edges of tucker or wcdging rolls 47 and 48 lie No. 742,555 filed October 9, 1,924.

, inside and above the lower edge of the cap. The continued rotation of the container supporting shafts causes tucker roll 47 to wedge the sealing strip between the container and cap skirt. When the required length of se al--- ing strip has passed through shear 65, "66,

blade is moved to cut the strip. Just.

before this takes place, and in order to have the leading end of the wire overlap the tail end of the sealing strip, delivery roll 68 is permitted to move towards delivery ,roll 69 to feed the wire through the shear. When edge'of the cap skirt. When the tail end of the wire approaches tucker roll 48, shafts 9 and 10 move upwardly so that the end of the wire protrudes below the cap skirt, andcrimping roll 54, which moves upwardly with the shafts, further crimps the cap skirt and presses the protruding end of the wire against the container.

' It will be understood that in this complete cycle of operation the movements of the several elements of the machine are so coordinated as to effect the several operations in the manner and order stated. The str p and wire delivering rolls 67 and-68 need be positioned in deliver relationship with roll 69 only for such periods of time as are required to deliver the sealing strip and wire through the shears and into engagement with feeding rolls 70 and 71 which are continuously ro-' tated.

No claim is heremade to the process here in disclosed, the process being disclosed and claimed in my copending application Serial According to the provisions of the patentstatut'es, I have described the principle and operation ofmy invention, and have illustrated and described a machine which I now l pconsider represents the best embodiment of it. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be .practiced by.

forms of construction other than those shown and described; Particularly, I desire to have it understood that my invention, as far as concerns some features of it, is not limit-ed to all the coordinated units illustrated and described, and that it is not limited to the specific'details of construction of the several units.- For examplefit has already been explained that the cap hopper and delivering mechanism need not be used. By omitting the wire shearing and delivering mechanism, the machlne may be used for forming seals with Continuous lengths of sealin the outer portion of the sealing strip being used as a cap-retaining member. Other omissions and changes will be readily understood from the foregoing description of the inventioni I claim as my invention:

19A container-closing machine, comprising in combination means for holding upon a container a cap having a depending skirt surrounding the outer wall of the container, means for feeding and wedging a sealing strip between the container and cap skirt, and means for effecting relative rotation between the container and strip feeding and wedging means around the axis of the container whereby the strip is progressively wedged between the container and cap skirt.

2. A container-closing machine, comprising in combination means for holding upon strips,

a container a cap having a depending skirt surrounding the outer wall of the container, means for revolving the cap and container around their common axis, and means for feeding and wedging a sealing strip between the container and cap skirt While the container and cap are revolving.

3. A container-closing machine, comprising in combination a support for a container, a support for a cap having a depending skirt, means for moving one of said sup ports toward the other to position a cap upon a container, means for feeding an end of a sealing strip between and into engagement by the container and cap as said support-moving means operates, and subsequently operative means for progressively wedging said strip between the container and cap skirt.

4. A'container-closing machine, comprising in combination a support for a container, a. support for a cap having a depending ski rt, means for moving one of said supports toward the other to position a cap upon a container, means for feeding an end of a sealing strip between and into engagement by the container and cap as said supportmoving means operates, and means for rotating the cap and container on their common axis and for progressively wedging said strip between the container and cap skirt.

5. A container-closing machine, comprising in combination of a support for holding upon a container a cap having a depending skirt surrounding the outer wall of the container,.means for rotatingsaid support to cause the cap and container to revolve upon their common axis, means for feeding a sealing gasket between the container and cap skirt, and a tucker arranged at the side of the support for wedging the gasket between the container and cap skirt while they are being rotated.

6. In a container-closing machine, the combination of means for holding a container and cap applied to it, a tucker for wedging a sealing strip between the container and cap, and means for serially feeding sealingstrips of substantially uniform lengths to said tucker.

7. In a container-closingv machine, the combination of means for holding a container and cap applied to it, a tucker for wedging a sealing strip between the container and cap, and means for serially cutting sealing strips of substantially uniform lengths from a continuous strand-thereof and for delivering them to said tucker.

8. In a container-closing machine, the combination of means for holding a container and cap applied to it, a tucker for wedging a sealing strip between the container and cap, a strip shear, means for feeding a continuous strip to the shear, means for delivering sheared lengths of the strip to said tucker, a sourcepf power, and coordinated driving connections therefrom to said shear and feeding and delivering means whereby said sheared lengths of sealing strip are serially delivered to said tucker.

9. In a container-closing machine, the combination of a support ing containers and caps means for rotating the each container and cap to' revolve upon their common axis, a tucker for wedging sealing strips between containers and caps, and means for serially feeding sealing strips of substantially uniform lengths to said tucker and each into engagement by and be tween a container and cap.

10. In a container-closing machine, the combination of a container support, a cap support provided with yielding gripping fingers to receive and hold a cap in'- spaced applied to them, support to cause relation to the mouth of a container on the container support, means for delivering an end of a sealing strip between the container and cap, means operable sinniltaneously with said delivering means for causing said cap to be applied to the container whereby the end of thesealing strip is engaged be: tween the cap and container, and means for subsequently tucking the strip between the cap and container.

11. In a container-closing. machine, the combination of a container support, a cap support, yieldinggripping fingers for receiving and holding a cap in spaced relation to themouth of a container on the container support, means for rotating said supports'to cause the container and cap to revolve on their common axis, means for delivering the end of a sealing strip between the container and cap, means operable simultaneously with said delivering means for moving the cap toward the container support to apply the cap to the container and to engage the leading end of said strip between the cap and container, and a tucker for subsequently for serially hold- ,progressively wedging the strip between the wedging a cap-retaining wire between the cap and container while they are rotated.

12. In a container-closing" machine, the combination of a container support, a cap hopper, means for serially discharging caps from saidhopper and applying them to containers held serially by said support, means for rotating said support to cause each container and-cap applied to it to revolve on their common axis, and means coordinated with said cap applying-means for first applying and then wedging a sealing strip between each container held by said support and the skirt of a cap applied to it.

13. A container-closing machine, comprising means for holding upon a container a cap having a depending skirt surrounding the outer wall of the container, and means for consecutively and. progressively introducing and wedging a sealing strip and a cap-retaining wire between the container and cap skirt.

'14:. A container-closing machine comprising in combination a support for a container and a pap having a depending skirt, means for consecutively introducing between the container and cap skirt a sealing strip and a cap-retaining member, and means for simul taneously wedging said strip and member -,into seal forming and maintaining position.

15. A container-closing machine, comprising in combination meansfor holding upon a container a cap having a depending skirt surrounding the outer wall of the container, means for feeding and. wedging first a sealing strip and then a cap-retaining wire between the container and cap skirt, and means for effecting relative rotation between the container and feeding and wedging means around the axis of the container whereby the strip and wire are progressively introduced and wedged between the con-' tainer and cap skirt. 16. "A container-closing machine, comprising in combination means for holding upon a container a cap'having 21 depending skirt surrounding the outer wall of the container, means for revolving the container and cap around their common axis, and means for consecutively and progressively wedging a sealing strip and pap-retaining wire between the container and-cap skirt while the container and cap are revolving.

17. A container-closing machine, compris in combination a support for a conta1ner, a support for a cap having a depending skirt, means for moving one of said supports toward the other to position the cap upon a container, and coordinated means container and cap skirt.

18. A container-closing machine, comprising in combination means for holding upon a container a caphaving a depending skirt surrounding the outer wall of the container, means for rotating said holding means to cause the cap and container to revolve upon their common axis, a tucker arranged at the side of the support for wedginga sealing strip and cap-retaining wire between the container and cap skirt'while they" are being rotated, and means for successively feed- 1ng a sealing strip and cap-retaining wire to said tu'ckerand between the container and cap skirt.

19. In a container-closing machine, the combination of means for serially holding containers and caps applied to them, a tucker for wedging sealing strips and capretaining wires between the container and cap, and means for serially feeding in alternation sealing strips and cap-retaining wires of predetermined lengths to said tucker.

20. In a container-closing machine, the combination of means for holding serially containers'and caps applied to them, a, tucker for successively wedging a sealing strip and a cap-retaining wire between the container and cap, and means for serially and in alternation cutting sealing strips and capreta-ining wires of predetermined lengths from continuous strands thereof and for means including a tucker for progressively wedging first a sealing strip and then a cap-retaining wire between the container and cap sklrt, and means effective at the end of the strip-wedging operation for causing a separation of the tucker from beneath the cap skirtto permit the outer end of said wire to protrude below the cap skirt.

22. In a container-closing machine, the combination of a support for holding a container and cap' applied to it, aitucker arranged at the side of said support, means for successively feeding a sealing strip and a cap-retainin wire tosaid tucker, means for rotating said support to cause the tucker to progressively wedge said strip and wire between the container and cap skirt, and means for moving said support longitudinally at the end of the wedging operationto permit the outer end of said wire to protrude below the cap skirt.

23. In a container-closing machine, the combination of a support for holdin a container and a cap with a depending s irt applied to the container, means for rotating said support to cause the container and cap 

